Defra has published bathing water results showing that 92% of English bathing waters meet water quality standards.

The number of monitored bathing waters in England rated as poor and unfit for swimming has more than doubled, from 18 to 37.

Out of the 450 sites regularly tested this summer for bacteria related to sewage discharges, 92% reached the minimum standards for bathing, a slight fall from 96% last year.

The Environment Agency – which carried out the testing – says those figures are in part due to 27 new sites being monitored this year, of which 18 were rated poor.

The government called the latest figures “unacceptable”.

Photo credit: Guy Dwelly

The headline results showed that

• In 2024, measurements were taken at 450 bathing waters in England, up from 423 bathing waters in 2023.
• In 2024, out of the 450 bathing waters measured in England, 413 (91.8 per cent) met at least the minimum standard of the Bathing Water Regulations.
• In 2024, 289 bathing waters in England (64.2 per cent) met the Excellent standard of the Bathing Water Regulations.
• In 2024, 37 bathing waters in England (8.2 per cent) did not meet the minimum standard, and were classified as Poor.

See the full bathing water results

Covered by the BBC Sharp rise in bathing sites rated unfit for swimming